"Power struggles?" Jagged gasped. "Is that who you think the Jedi are fighting? struggles?" Jagged gasped. "Is that who you think the Jedi are fighting? Themselves? Themselves?"

"Head of State, a Sith is just a Jedi who's gone off his meds," Daala declared. "Why do you think Dark Lords keep popping up?"

Jag shook his head. "Chief Daala, you are so tragically wrong," he said. "The Sith are real, they're out there, and the Jedi are the only ones who can turn them back."

"At least we agree on those first two points. The Sith are real, and they're definitely out there." Daala checked her chrono again, then started for the door. "But if we really want to protect ourselves from the Sith, it's the Jedi we need to watch. History has proven proven that." that."

SHE CALLED HERSELF A ABELOTH, AND SHE LIVED IN A CAVE ON THE SIDE of a volcano because she said the plants there were not so voracious. But Abeloth loved the water. Every morning, she would take the search party down to the crimson river, and the entire group would swim and splash for hours. Then, once they were exhausted, they would crawl out of the water and bask on the beach, alongside the huge drendek lizards that had come down to take the sun on their green, outstretched wings. And while the party was resting, no one needed to worry about eel vines snaking out of the river to snare unmoving ankles, or a hedge of s...o...b..ush filling the air with a cloud of poison pollen, or even a swarm of thirsty fangb.a.l.l.s tumbling up from behind. When Abeloth was near, the plants of a volcano because she said the plants there were not so voracious. But Abeloth loved the water. Every morning, she would take the search party down to the crimson river, and the entire group would swim and splash for hours. Then, once they were exhausted, they would crawl out of the water and bask on the beach, alongside the huge drendek lizards that had come down to take the sun on their green, outstretched wings. And while the party was resting, no one needed to worry about eel vines snaking out of the river to snare unmoving ankles, or a hedge of s...o...b..ush filling the air with a cloud of poison pollen, or even a swarm of thirsty fangb.a.l.l.s tumbling up from behind. When Abeloth was near, the plants never never attacked. attacked.

Vestara knew she should have been alarmed by that, but she wasn't. The truth was, she was too grateful for any respite to be suspicious of it. The search party's Sith discipline remained strong enough that they felt compelled to split up and spend at least a few hours a day trying to find s.h.i.+p, and the sheer terror of those patrols was so wearying that no one cared why why they were safe when they were with Abeloth. When you saw a mat of dead leaves suddenly chomp off the foot that had just stepped on it, or heard a companion scream because a beautiful white flower had just squirted acid into her eyes, all you really wanted was to be back in the cave with Abeloth. they were safe when they were with Abeloth. When you saw a mat of dead leaves suddenly chomp off the foot that had just stepped on it, or heard a companion scream because a beautiful white flower had just squirted acid into her eyes, all you really wanted was to be back in the cave with Abeloth.

It was still before high sun when Vestara felt Lady Rhea's Force summons. She glanced over to find Ahri still lying on his back with closed eyes. The azure tint that had come to his lavender skin beneath the blue sun only made him all the more gorgeous, and Vestara was grateful to Lady Rhea for suggesting that she spend more time with him. In addition to being easy to look at, he was her best friend, and his Master was so pleased by their obvious closeness that he had finally stopped beating poor Ahri. It did not even bother Vestara that Xal clearly hoped their friends.h.i.+p would prove useful in spying on Lady Rhea; as long as he believed something valuable might come of the relations.h.i.+p, he was unlikely to seek revenge for the embarra.s.sment Vestara had caused him on the approach to this strange planet.

Without opening his eyes, Ahri said, "She's early today. Are we going farther out?"

"Not that I know of," Vestara answered. Lady Rhea had warned her to start expecting such innocent-sounding questions; Xal would want to determine how willing Vestara was to discuss her Master's plans with Ahri. "Lady Rhea still thinks s.h.i.+p is hiding on the other side of the cave ridge."

Ahri opened his eyes and propped himself on an elbow. "What do you you think?" think?"

"I think we'd better hurry." Vestara knew he was asking if she could still feel s.h.i.+p, but Lady Rhea had instructed her to keep secret the unhappy truth-that she had not felt a hint of s.h.i.+p in the Force since the day he had led them to Abeloth's cave. She s.n.a.t.c.hed Ahri's tunic out of the sand and threw it at him. "If we're the last ones there again, we'll end up out on a flank."

Ahri was instantly on his feet, using the Force to catch the s.h.i.+rt and lower it over his upraised arms. Vestara also dressed with the aid of the Force, and in less than a minute they were joining the rest of the search party. Lady Rhea was already standing on the large boulder she used as a speaking dais. Fortunately, a lot of people had been caught off-guard by the early summons and were still straggling in, so she barely seemed to notice as Ahri and Vestara took their places.

But Master Xal, standing on the riverbank behind the boulder, studied the pair with a narrow-eyed smirk that suggested he believed their relations.h.i.+p had advanced further than was the case. Happy to buy Ahri another beating-free week by letting Xal believe what he wished, Vestara forced a blush and let her gaze slide down toward the foot of the boulder, where Abeloth stood looking out on the gathering Sith as though she she were the one in charge of the search party. were the one in charge of the search party.

Abeloth looked lovely and more or less human, but today her hair was brown and long instead of honey-colored and shoulder-length, as it had been when Vestara and Ahri had found her in her cave. Her nose was also a bit longer and straighter than usual, and her eyes were a bit more silver than gray, with a definite upward slant at the outer corners. Abeloth's face changed like that, seeming to take hints from the appearance of anyone with whom she spent time. And somehow it only served to make her more enchanting, as though each new detail deepened the l.u.s.ter of her beauty.

So enraptured by her radiance was Vestara that she did not realize Lady Rhea had begun speaking until Ahri nudged her.

"Why's she so flamed?" he whispered. "It's not like we haven't been looking." looking."

Vestara covered her distraction by patting the air to quiet him. "Shhh."

Ahri frowned in confusion, then seemed to notice her gaze sliding away from Abeloth and rolled his eyes in mock exasperation. "Focus," "Focus," he hissed. "You're about to get yourself put on point." he hissed. "You're about to get yourself put on point."

Given her consistent failure to locate s.h.i.+p in the Force, Vestara knew that was all too likely already. She nodded and returned her attention to the top of the boulder.

"...have failed," Lady Rhea was saying. Although her angry gaze was hardly focused on Vestara alone, it did not exclude her, either. "Gather your things. We meet the shuttle in two hours."

The news. .h.i.t Vestara like a body blow. She was the one who had guided the mission after s.h.i.+p, and if they returned to Kesh without the wayward vessel, the failure would reflect as badly on her as Lady Rhea. But it was Abeloth's voice, not Vestara's, that cracked the stunned silence that followed. "Without s.h.i.+p?" "Without s.h.i.+p?"

Lady Rhea's tone softened-as did everyone's when they spoke to Abeloth. "The Crusader Crusader is running low on fuel and stores. If we stay much longer, we won't be leaving at all." is running low on fuel and stores. If we stay much longer, we won't be leaving at all."

The explanation only seemed to alarm Abeloth all the more. "But you can't can't leave without s.h.i.+p." She turned to face the body of the search party, as though a handful of mere Sabers could overrule a Sith Lord. "Lord Vol will be disappointed in you." leave without s.h.i.+p." She turned to face the body of the search party, as though a handful of mere Sabers could overrule a Sith Lord. "Lord Vol will be disappointed in you."

Lady Rhea seemed as surprised by the reaction as Vestara. Her eyes grew confused for a moment, then her expression hardened as she finally seemed to gather her thoughts. "Didn't you tell us you had been marooned here for thirty years, Abeloth?"

Abeloth nodded. "That's right."

"Then I would think you'd be dying to get back to civilization."

"And I am." am." Abeloth continued to look at the rest of the search party. "But I'm only thinking of you, my friends. Your Circle of Lords will not look kindly on this failure." Abeloth continued to look at the rest of the search party. "But I'm only thinking of you, my friends. Your Circle of Lords will not look kindly on this failure."

"I'll handle them." Lady Rhea glared down on Abeloth with a look of quiet appraisal, then asked, "You haven't changed your mind about wanting to return to Kesh with us, have you?"

"Not at all," Abeloth said. Lady Rhea's expression grew noticeably softer as the castaway turned to face her again. "I'm as eager as you are to leave this place."

"I'm glad to hear it."

Lady Rhea's smile managed to retain some of its predatory edge, and Vestara could almost read the thoughts flas.h.i.+ng through her Master's mind: Abeloth would make up for s.h.i.+p's loss.

Enthralled as they were, every Sith in the search party knew that Abeloth was no ordinary woman-if she was a woman at all. Sometimes it seemed to Vestara that Abeloth was no more than a swirling halo of Force energy that presented itself as a woman because its true form could not be comprehended by their mortal minds. But other times, Abeloth seemed exactly what she claimed to be: a lonely castaway so desperate for companions.h.i.+p that she refused to be alone, a woman driven so near to madness by her long isolation that she had a.s.sumed she was hallucinating when Vestara and Ahri entered her cave to rescue Xal.

Of course, there were a lot of things that didn't make sense about either possibility. First, Abeloth had never explained exactly how how she had imprisoned Xal-a Sith Master-in a coc.o.o.n. She claimed to have no idea why Vestara had sensed s.h.i.+p on the ridge near her home, yet accepted as perfectly logical the fact that it had been s.h.i.+p that had led them to her in the first place. And when Vestara had inquired about the tentacle-thing she had glimpsed on the cave ceiling, Abeloth's only reply had been that they had nothing to fear from any animal on this planet. she had imprisoned Xal-a Sith Master-in a coc.o.o.n. She claimed to have no idea why Vestara had sensed s.h.i.+p on the ridge near her home, yet accepted as perfectly logical the fact that it had been s.h.i.+p that had led them to her in the first place. And when Vestara had inquired about the tentacle-thing she had glimpsed on the cave ceiling, Abeloth's only reply had been that they had nothing to fear from any animal on this planet.

As Vestara was considering all this-and waiting for the strange contest of wills between Abeloth and Lady Rhea to be resolved-she felt the touch of a familiar presence.

You should never have come, s.h.i.+p said inside her mind. Now you can never leave Now you can never leave.

Vestara swung her gaze down the river, then gasped aloud when she saw a familiar winged-ball silhouette hovering in the distance, just above the water.

"Vestara?" Ahri asked, turning toward her. "What is it?"

"It's-" Vestara started to point, then saw Abeloth watching and realized that the castaway was eavesdropping. Besides, Lady Rhea would not appreciate being drawn into another futile s.h.i.+p-chase when she had already given the order to leave. Vestara dropped her gaze. "Nothing."

"What was nothing?" Abeloth's voice was a cold blade cutting through Vestara's lie. "You saw something downriver?" was nothing?" Abeloth's voice was a cold blade cutting through Vestara's lie. "You saw something downriver?"

"I thought so." Vestara sneaked a glance down the river and, much to her relief, saw that the tiny silhouette had already vanished. "But I was-"

Vestara was interrupted by the chime of Lady Rhea's comlink. She turned and saw her Master pulling the wand from her belt, at the same time raising her free hand for silence. Lady Rhea had barely thumbed the activation switch before Baad Walusari's excited voice began to sound from the tiny speaker.

"A thousand meters at bearing one sixty from you," the Kes.h.i.+ri said. "s.h.i.+p just crossed the river and seems to be headed for the shuttle clearing."

Lady Rhea's eyes widened in shock. "s.h.i.+p is letting you track it?"

"When it's above the canopy, we have a heat signature," Walusari explained. "When it's in the jungle, we have a damage path. As long as s.h.i.+p is moving, we can track it."

"Good. Keep me updated." Lady Rhea clicked off her comlink and turned to Vestara. "See if you can force it to return to us."

Without awaiting Vestara's acknowledgment, Lady Rhea drew her weapons and began to issue orders. By the time Vestara had located s.h.i.+p in the Force again, the search party was deployed across a thousand-meter front and Force-running across the river. Abeloth fell in behind Lady Rhea, crossing the water as easily as the Sith Lord herself, and Vestara took advantage of her presence to concentrate on s.h.i.+p instead of plants.

Vestara pressed down on s.h.i.+p's presence with all the willpower she could summon, commanding him to return to the river and await her order. s.h.i.+p wanted wanted to obey-she could feel that much, even with her attention divided between trying to track the wayward vessel and using the Force to keep her feet bouncing across the water. to obey-she could feel that much, even with her attention divided between trying to track the wayward vessel and using the Force to keep her feet bouncing across the water.

But there was something defeated and lost in s.h.i.+p's spirit, like an uvak with severed wing tendons. He was ... afraid afraid, crushed beneath a will strong beyond Vestara's ability to imagine. To obey her was to defy it it, a power that had reached across s.p.a.ce and time to summon s.h.i.+p for no other reason than it was lonely lonely.

Vestara could see how hopeless it was to think she had the strength of will to break the grasp of such a being. Still, she continued to cling to s.h.i.+p's presence, if only because that would help her locate the meditation sphere if Walusari and the Crusader Crusader lost his trail. Once they caught up, Lady Rhea would be the one demanding s.h.i.+p's obedience. lost his trail. Once they caught up, Lady Rhea would be the one demanding s.h.i.+p's obedience.

And that that thought was what nearly got Vestara killed. thought was what nearly got Vestara killed.

She was almost across the river when a whirlpool opened ahead and swallowed Lady Rhea whole. With her attention focused on s.h.i.+p instead of the dangers of the situation, Vestara was taken completely by surprise, and she found herself stepping into the same swirling pit before Abeloth caught her arm.

"Siphon reed," she said, pus.h.i.+ng Vestara away from the whirlpool. "Keep going or it will get you, too."

Most apprentices in Vestara's situation would probably have done exactly as Abeloth instructed, reasoning that it was a lot easier to get a new Master than a new life. Ahri would certainly have been happy to leave his his Master to be digested by almost any plant on the planet. But if Lady Rhea were gone, Xal would become the mission's new commander, and Master to be digested by almost any plant on the planet. But if Lady Rhea were gone, Xal would become the mission's new commander, and that that meant a death just as certain as being swallowed by the siphon reed-though probably far slower and more humiliating. meant a death just as certain as being swallowed by the siphon reed-though probably far slower and more humiliating.

So Vestara jerked her arm from Abeloth's grasp, then ignited her lightsaber and let herself sink beneath the river's surface. The water was so full of crimson silt that she was blinded almost instantly. Filmy ribbons of wet cellulose wrapped themselves around her legs, squeezing her calves so tightly that her feet and ankles began to swell. She bent her knees and, unsure whether she was pulling the weeds up to her or herself down to them, drew her parang and began to slash at the plants.

At the same time, Vestara reached out in the Force and felt Lady Rhea to the right and a little bit below her. She lashed out with her lightsaber, water hissing and bubbling as the heat of her crimson blade turned it to steam. She felt the weapon slice through something the size of her own waist. She brought the blade back in the other direction and found another of the giant stalks, then quickly began to whirl, cutting away half a dozen more before the area seemed clear.

But there was no glow in the water beneath her, and Lady Rhea's Force aura only seemed to be growing more frightened and confused as the siphon reed retracted, pulling her deeper into the river. Vestara could feel by the ache in her own chest-and by her growing compulsion to breathe-that her own air was running out, too.

It hardly mattered. Better to drown here than to suffer the degradations Xal would heap on her if he he became the mission leader. Vestara grabbed her Master in the Force and pulled, hard. became the mission leader. Vestara grabbed her Master in the Force and pulled, hard.

Lady Rhea failed to come popping out of the severed stalk. All that happened was that Vestara's ears and sinuses began to ache as she pulled herself deeper, and the water began to darken as the sun's light vanished into the suspended silt. Lady Rhea's presence began to calm, though it was impossible to say whether this was because she felt Vestara coming, or because she was losing consciousness.

Then Vestara b.u.mped into the stump of a severed stalk and knew that she had caught up to the retreating reed. She could feel Lady Rhea in the swirling darkness below, less than a meter away, but it was impossible to know whether they were at the bottom of the river or still descending.

Vestara didn't care which. She reached out with her lightsaber, bringing it around as though to tap Lady Rhea along the flank. She caught a glimpse of brown as the blade split the stem open, then immediately thumbed the switch off.

An instant later, a human body slammed into her chest, and the last of her air left her lungs in a stream of ascending bubbles. Uncertain whether Lady Rhea would be conscious, she wrapped her arms around the body-then felt herself shooting upward as her Master used the Force to pull them to the surface.

As the water turned from black to crimson, Vestara had to fight the urge to exhale in relief. Lady Rhea had obviously survived and was still conscious-unless Abeloth Abeloth was the one pulling them to the surface. Although the castaway had dodged most of the search party's questions about her training, she was obviously both strong in the Force and capable of ... was the one pulling them to the surface. Although the castaway had dodged most of the search party's questions about her training, she was obviously both strong in the Force and capable of ...

The blue disk of the sun began to ripple down through the crimson water, but Vestara was too preoccupied-too frightened frightened-to notice even when they broke the surface.

Abeloth had been with with them. The meaning of that finally sank in. them. The meaning of that finally sank in.

The siphon reed had attacked Lady Rhea, and Abeloth had done nothing to stop it. In fact, no plant had ever attacked someone while they were in Abeloth's presence.

Vestara heard a loud, croaking gasp and felt a flood of bodily relief as her lungs filled with fresh air. Lady Rhea made a similar sound as she also began to breathe, then squirmed free of Vestara's grasp and turned to kiss her.

"I owe ...you ...my life," she coughed. "Whatever you desire, Vestara, it will be yours."

"First, to leave this river alive," Vestara said. Seeing that both of her Master's hands were free of weapons, she shoved her parang into Lady Rhea's grasp. "Abeloth is trying to-"

Vestara's explanation was interrupted by a loud outcry from sh.o.r.e, then she felt herself and Lady Rhea rising out of the water.

"Don't worry," Lady Rhea said. "We're safe."

Vestara shook her head. "No. She betrayed-"

"Of course we're safe," Lady Rhea interrupted, not seeming to understand. She pointed upstream. "Your friend Ahri has us."

Vestara turned in the direction Lady Rhea was pointing. Ahri was standing on the sh.o.r.e about fifty meters away, his weapons at his feet and both hands extended toward them. Most of the search party was rus.h.i.+ng down the sh.o.r.e to protect Lady Rhea if she was attacked again. Master Xal remained at Ahri's side, his jaw clenched and his dark eyes burning as though he were contemplating grabbing his apprentice's parang and beheading him with it. Tonight, Vestara knew, Ahri would take a beating for saving her and Lady Rhea ... if Abeloth let them live that long.

Behind Xal and Ahri stood ... something something tall and vaguely human, with a long cascade of yellow hair that reached nearly to the ground. Her eyes were tiny and deep-sunken, like two stars s.h.i.+ning out of a pair of black wells, and she had a large, full-lipped mouth so broad that it reached from ear to ear. Her stubby arms protruded no more than ten centimeters from her shoulders, but in place of fingers, her hands had writhing tentacles so long that they hung down past her knees. The body was as straight as a tree trunk, and as she started downstream to the place where Vestara and Lady Rhea would be coming ash.o.r.e, her legs did not seem to swing forward so much as ripple. tall and vaguely human, with a long cascade of yellow hair that reached nearly to the ground. Her eyes were tiny and deep-sunken, like two stars s.h.i.+ning out of a pair of black wells, and she had a large, full-lipped mouth so broad that it reached from ear to ear. Her stubby arms protruded no more than ten centimeters from her shoulders, but in place of fingers, her hands had writhing tentacles so long that they hung down past her knees. The body was as straight as a tree trunk, and as she started downstream to the place where Vestara and Lady Rhea would be coming ash.o.r.e, her legs did not seem to swing forward so much as ripple.

Vestara went cold and queasy inside as Ahri lowered her and Lady Rhea to sh.o.r.e. She found herself kneeling in the shallows, retching black silty water into the river and shaking so hard that her body ached. Horrible as it was, the thing she had seen standing behind Ahri and Xal had been familiar to her. The long aquiline nose, high cheeks, the well-shaped chin, all were the face of Abeloth. Just this morning, that face had seemed the most beautiful she had ever seen ... until Lady Rhea had declared it was time to return home, and Abeloth had betrayed her true nature.

"It's just river water," Lady Rhea said, taking Vestara by the arm. "Stand up. You'll feel better."

Vestara allowed herself to be pulled up. Hoping the thing she had seen with Ahri had just been the product of an oxygen-starved mind, or at least that she would be spared seeing it in its true nature again, she looked back up the sh.o.r.e.

And began to tremble again. The thing was still there, as horrible as it was before-and it was coming toward her, its tiny silver eyes burning a hole right through her, its gruesome mouth smiling ear-to-ear, showing a mouthful of sharp teeth.

"Vestara, it's okay," Lady Rhea said, taking her by the shoulders. "You're going to be fine."

"I ... I know." Vestara nodded, but she continued to look past Lady Rhea. "Lady Rhea, look. Do you see that ...that thing thing behind Ahri and Xal?" behind Ahri and Xal?"

Lady Rhea looked, then frowned. "You mean Abeloth?" Abeloth?"

Vestara's strength drained away, and she would have fallen had Lady Rhea not caught her in the Force. "Vestara, what's wrong? You seem exhausted."

Realizing that she was the only one who saw it, Vestara forced a nod. "I am, but I can handle it."

And perhaps she could could, Vestara told herself; there was no reason to despair. Now that she saw that truth of what Abeloth was, she could defeat it. A Sith could defeat anything anything, if she understood it.

Lady Rhea must have sensed the return of Vestara's resolve, because she smiled and relaxed her grasp.

"That's better." She patted Vestara's shoulders, then turned to face up the sh.o.r.e. "Master Xal, I need a lightsaber and a report. Do we still have a location on s.h.i.+p?"

The question was an unnecessary one. Even as Lady Rhea was barking it, s.h.i.+p appeared in the distance, a tiny speck floating over the jungle from the direction of the shuttle clearing. But everyone was too busy with Lady Rhea to see the vessel, inquiring about injuries and offering her spare lightsabers salvaged from the bodies of their fallen companions. So Vestara pretended not to see s.h.i.+p approaching, and just reached out to it in the Force.

Why? she asked. she asked. Why did you betray us? Why did you betray us?

Because I was commanded to, and machines must obey.

Very well, Vestara replied. I command you to come to me now. I command you to set down and take us away from here, to take us back to Kesh I command you to come to me now. I command you to set down and take us away from here, to take us back to Kesh.

A low crackle began to build as s.h.i.+p approached, and Vestara thought for a moment that he was actually coming to land. But then, as Lady Rhea and the others spun toward the sound, s.h.i.+p accelerated, streaking past so low over their heads that Vestara could actually feel the heat from his propulsion units.

Silly child, s.h.i.+p said to her. You are strong in the Force-but strong is nothing compared with almighty You are strong in the Force-but strong is nothing compared with almighty.

Lady Rhea began to yell orders, leading the charge back across the river toward the cave ridge. Vestara did not follow, instead remaining on the sh.o.r.e, watching the horrible thing that was Abeloth continue to approach.

You ignored my warnings, s.h.i.+p reminded her. And now you are as lost as I am And now you are as lost as I am.

Vestara shook her head. "We are not not lost." Speaking the words aloud only seemed to make them ring all the more false, but she continued just the same. "Sith never surrender. Sith never despair." lost." Speaking the words aloud only seemed to make them ring all the more false, but she continued just the same. "Sith never surrender. Sith never despair."

A wave of grim amus.e.m.e.nt rolled through the Force. You are a smart girl, Vestara You are a smart girl, Vestara, s.h.i.+p said. Why do you believe anything Why do you believe anything you you do can ever get you off this planet? do can ever get you off this planet?

s.h.i.+p dwindled to a dark spot shrinking against the cave ridge and vanished from the Force, leaving Vestara alone on the sh.o.r.e with Abeloth. A fan of slimy tentacles slid around her shoulder, and she turned to look into the cold stars that were the thing's eyes.

"Come, Vestara," it said. "I'll see you safely across the river."